And in January, when Mayor Giuliani appeared before lawmakers he said he might do exactly that.
One constituency is the watchful eye of the Congress, which required the new Postmaster General to appear before lawmakers six times in his first three months in office.
The President has about two weeks to make his case before Congress's scheduled vote, and lawmakers who heard his speech expressed relief that he is warming to the task.
His testimony before lawmakers this spring touched on a tricky aspect, that it is often difficult to know for certain whether a patient is really terminal.
Mr. Bush has argued that Mr. Ridge, as a presidential adviser, is not required to testify before lawmakers.
Several witnesses had received limited immunity in exchange for their appearances before lawmakers.
Permanent legislation on whether Brazil should commercialize transgenic crops is set to go before lawmakers.
Eight of these CEOs have had to defend their business practices before angry lawmakers in congressional testimony.
And then wraps up wondering, "Will it take the shooting of innocents in every congressional district before national lawmakers" do something?
Others pushed for doubling the one-year waiting period before departing lawmakers and staff members can lobby their former colleagues.